In the picture: The Moon and The Priestess of Thoth Tarot by Aleister Crowley | Cancer Gold Bracelet and Goddess Moonstone Ring by COVEN

Have you been feeling melancholic recently? Well, surprise! The New Moon in Cancer is happening tonight. Be prepared for an emotional roller coaster. Or if you're already on the ride, it's time to finally acknowledge our flaws and fill our lack with positive endeavors.

The New Moon is a sign for us to begin our rebirth. Unlike Full Moon, New Moon clears our old, destructive habit to give space for new, positive energy. Being in the Cancer sphere, this month’s New Moon touches Cancer’s area of focus such as home, healing, security, and family. It’ll remind us of the things that we’re lack in our lives, and what we have to do to complete it. But of course, it’s not going to be as easy as it sounds.

As of now, we have a total of four planets located in Cancer that helps to enhance the energy: The Sun, the Moon, Mercury, and Mars. All four planets are connected in trine aspect with Uranus in Aries, highlighting the blessing of inner strength and independence that Cancer bestows upon us this week. However, Mars’ trine with Neptune Retrograde in Pisces and the square aspect with Jupiter in Libra tells me that despite our effort to be independent, we are also hindering our progress with our crave for intimacy and security. This month’s New Moon, along with the three other planets that in conjunct around it, is a wake-up call for us to set our priorities straight.

Cancer is a cardinal water sign. A strong, independent leader with a nurturing flair – influenced by its sensitive ruler, the Moon. But its independence may rely entirely on someone else’s dependency on them. A happy Cancerian is someone who has fulfilled their need for a happy domestic life while being able to support someone else in their free time. They will only aim for a successful future if they know that it will be worthwhile for their family in the end.

For some people, the energy of New Moon in Cancer can be translated as the need to form a family, the need to put their loved ones first, or the need to protect what they already have. Some people may feel a surge of despair being surrounded by wealth without someone to share. Eventually, it points to our theme of the week: completion. You will only feel secure when your needs are fulfilled, whether it's emotionally or physically. You may also long for the warm and cozy feeling within you, something that a Cancerian will never lack due to their empathetic nature. If you notice anything that's missing in your life, this New Moon in Cancer is the time for you to reflect upon it.

Here are some tips to get a sense of completion on New Moon in Cancer:

Create your sacred space

Do you have a place in your home that you consider as sacred? If you don’t, find a nook or choose an area to be your personal sacred space. It is a space where you can do your personal me time. Whether to read, relax, or nap, the area should be comfortable enough to be your safe haven. Once you have made a home within a home, keep the space clean and tidy. Get rid of things that can disrupt your Zen and replace it with items that give you a sense of comfort.

Find out what’s weighing you down

New Moon in Cancer will tap into your emotion. And if you're sensitive to an emotional sting, the energy can really weigh you down. You need to face the discomfort within you to set yourself free. Is there any issue that needs to be forgiven? Is there anything that you’ve been wanting to do or say but never got the chance? Resolve the issue or make peace with yourself. It's time to release the burden once and for all.

Give yourself some much-needed self-love

You're not as strong as you look, and that's okay. There's no need to punish yourself for feeling intensely or for needing time to unwind. We all have our weakness. It's our job to address where we're lack and provide ourselves with love and support. Treat yourself to a nice dinner, watch the movie that your boyfriend would never watch with you, and appreciate what you've done for yourself.

Spend some quality time with the family

The New Moon in Cancer is coincidentally (although I think it's NOT coincidental) close to the Hari Raya Idul Fitri. Some of you might have gone home to see your family, which is exactly how we should celebrate these two events (FYI, Cancer is known to be the universal sign of family). This week, go back to your root and enjoy some quality time with your loved ones. Make yourself feel whole again. If you don't have anyone in your family to spend time with, at least enjoy a company of a group that nurtures you.

Heal yourself

Sometimes all you need is to slow down and relax when everything is too overwhelming. Take some time off to address your health, your emotion, or your feelings (see the first tips!). You can also see a doctor or a healer to help you with any blockage in your chakra. In fact, I just went to see an ophthalmologist for the first time today to check my eyes. (Spoiler: Apparently I'm short-sighted, sigh.) Anyway, my point is, your health is important and it should be your number one priority this week (or any days in your life, really!).

I hope the New Moon in Cancer tonight brings you the much needed emotional cleansing to find out what’s been hindering you from your growth. We are never perfect, but we are whole. Once you understand where your weaknesses are, you can slowly weave a more fully developed spiritual path for yourself.

Have a great New Moon night, witchlings!

Hello, I'm Canti!

I am a tarot reader and an eclectic witch living in Bali, providing online tarot reading and blessing service for the mindful soul-searchers. Contact me at www.foxglovetarot.com to book a private counseling session with me.

When I was writing about this week's Tarotscope, I noticed an unfamiliar aspect on the chart. I probably had encountered it earlier, but I wasn't paying much attention to it (just like I wouldn't pay attention to table manner if there's a fucking PIZZA in front of me). The shape looks like a trapezoid, formed by Uranus retrograde in Aries, Jupiter in Libra, Saturn in conjunct with the Sun in Sagittarius, and Mars in Aquarius. It seems that the aspect has been around for a while (sorry, my bad) and will be around for quite some time too.

Based on my epic Google search, the trapezoid is also known as "The Cradle" in the astrology term. It started from November, 26th until December, 19th 2016.

"The Cradle is formed when four planets are connected by three sextile aspects, two trine aspects and one opposition. It is also called a Half-Hexagon because it looks like one-half of a Grand Hexagon (Grand Sextile) configuration. The Cradle is similar in energy to the Grand Sextile.” (source: Lunar Living)

The opposition is represented by Uranus and Jupiter, while the sextile is formed by Uranus - Mars - Saturn and Sun - and ends in Jupiter. The trine aspect, on the other hand, draws a line between Mars and Jupiter, along with Saturn + Sun and Uranus. You can see the image below for a detailed illustration. In case you're wondering why Saturn and Sun are mentioned together in this article, it's because both planets are currently in a conjunction aspect, which blends both energies as one.

Today's planetary chart. Did you see the trapezoid?

The Cradle teaches us to balance the opposing with the help of the other harmonious aspects. Jupiter in Libra is pulling us closer to fruition. Once you tap its energy, it's like running to work with a donut in one hand and a Starbucks latte in another. Balance is necessary to keep your luck intact. Also known as the lucky lady, Jupiter in Libra will grant you with abundance if you are willing to take a chance in the nick of time and know how to play it cool. Jupiter in Libra wants you to be the Ferris Bueller; the charming schoolboy with a knack of rule-breaking but loved by everyone and lucky enough to get away with misadventures.

But what's stopping you, then? Retrograde Uranus in Aries will hold you back until you have mapped out everything you need to move ahead. You are passionate, but Uranus Retrograde's slow but patient pace will force you to ask yourself a lot of "Why" and examine the logical reasoning behind it instead of going ahead with the flow like Uranus Direct. Sadly, when Jupiter in Libra becomes your aim, you have to leave those rational notions behind. Because if you don't, you might miss a life-changing opportunity brought to you by the big J.

The Cradle is the astrology map you'll need to navigate you out of this confusion. The harmonious aspects (such as trine and sextile)exist to alleviate the effect of the opposite ends. On Uranus' side, we have Mars in Aquarius. If you switch the position of the planet, you'll get both planets in their respective houses. Mars is the ruler of Aries while Uranus holds the key to Aquarius. It's fascinating, isn't it? On the other hand, the Saturn and Sun in Sagittarius' energy are meant to take the edge off the jumpy Jupiter. By paying attention to the harmonious aspects, we can understand how to make the best out of the situation.

Mars in Aquarius inspires you to include flexibility in your future planning. It softens Uranus Retrograde's influence by inducing an open-mindedness to your self-restrained mind. Its trine aspect with Jupiter shows how it agrees with Jupiter's stance too. You need to be more relaxed, but you have to know why you're doing what you're doing. You'll be stubborn, but for all the right reasons. Sometimes we have to convince ourselves to take a leap when our feet have chosen to sink deep into the ground. Am I right?

On the other end, Insight Astrology called Saturn in Sagittarius as 'taming the wild horses', and I can't agree more. Saturn has this fatherly vibe that when you put it in a house filled with a bunch of party head Sagittarius, it will become your worst strict chaperone with no sense of humor. It won't stop until everyone goes to bed on time. Yup. Saturn tells you to be careful and understand the pros and the cons in everything you do.

While Saturn slows your Jupiterian progress, the Sun in Sagittarius entices you with a search for knowledge. It will ask you the same intriguing questions that Aquarius retrograde would ask, albeit childlike. These two planets are in trine aspect with Uranus retrograde, giving you a hint that to keep up with Jupiter, you have to keep your sense of wonder open. Almost like Mars' stance, the Sun knows we can run as fast as a cheetah, but we have to know where we're heading and why. Our dearest Saturn here will be our responsible speed bump, to make sure we don't abuse our speed limit too often.

When combined, the Cradle is here to give you a clue and a great learning about life. We can't be too reckless or too careful. Some choices might be necessary depending on our situation, but a caution about balance will continue to manifest itself everywhere we go. We can't afford to avert our eyes from the signs if we want to further our progress.

So what have you learned from this article so far? If you have any comments or questions about The Cradle, give me a shout out on the comment below, or tweet me!

Hello, I'm Canti!

I am a tarot reader and an eclectic witch living in Bali, providing online tarot reading and blessing service for the mindful soul-searchers. Contact me at www.foxglovetarot.com to book a private counseling session with me.

Tonight on May 6th 2016, we are going to welcome a game changer during this retrograde-abundant month: the New Moon in Taurus. Retrogrades can be enlightening, but I have to be honest with you, it can really lead to some frustrating events. So it’s great to finally have a change, a chance to renew and revamp our lives to pursue the coveted stability in the midst of this turbulent weeks.

New Moon in Taurus gives us the reminder to clear out any aspects or elements that does not seem to contribute to our pursuit for a balanced live. Infused with Taurus' traits as a Venus ruling sign, our focus this week is to pay attention to the balance in our love life and financial situation. If you feel as if everything’s going unsteady recently, please blame the Mercury, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, and Pluto for choosing the same month to go on a retrograde trip. Although Taurus sign is known for its stubbornness and the inability to adapt to quick changes, the New Moon’s energy will help you to snap out of this confusion and make the right yet quick decision to survive this storm and live a smooth sailing life. To me, the New Moon in Taurus feels more like, “Cut the crap, let’s get down to the business shall we?” (Maybe this is also why I write a little bit differently on this blog post, I’m not sure, hahaha)

Below are some tips on how you can achieve the balance you’ll need:

Love

1. Cut Ties with your Toxic Ex Amicably

Mercury Retrograde is known to bring your ex from the dead for no whatsoever reason. When the Mercury moves backward, the people who are currently in your present will have a difficulty of moving anything forward with you, but the people from your past may be tempted to initiate something. Some will cause havoc, some will just remind you of the good old days. I know this because my ex just recently said hi to me after blocking me off Facebook for months. Hehehe. But don’t worry, the New Moon will not let your heart lingers in the past anymore. Cut ties with them who will definitely bring imbalance in your life. You can either ghost them or have an amicable goodbye, but think twice before you hurt their feelings. Don’t forget that Saturn is also in retrograde, which means, karma will come faster to you than usual. Hmmm.

2. Go Steady

If the constant push and pull between you and your crush has been causing you some distress recently, the best way to play this out is either by going steady or cutting ties with them once and for all. It may not be ideal to start a relationship during New Moon, since all beginnings are supposed to start on Full Moon. However, New Moon is the perfect time to end a toxic cycle, in this case, the feeling of uncertainty which surrounds your cat and mouse game. So give them two options, either they’re in or they’re out. The same question should be asked to you too. Are you ready to spend your days with them or nah? With New Moon and its role as a catalyst of change, you are compelled to make the decision now or you’ll be left with the same cycle until the next Full Moon. So, which one would you choose?

Finance

3. Find a Job that Pays You Well

Do you feel as if the time you spent on working is not equal with the amount of money you are making? Has your current job brought you so much confusion and unhappiness? Do you crave for a work life balance? Tonight’s New Moon is a great time to stop living as a corporate slave and start applying for a more balanced career options! Mars in retrograde may soften your hunger and ambition for a job that pays you well, however, The New Moon in Taurus will help us to realise that we’ll have to do something about our financial situation. You can also opt for a more relaxed job with a fair wage to compensate for lesser responsibility if getting a higher paying job is not an option. Time would be considered as a luxury to compensate for the lower pay. Whichever options you choose, please ensure that the job you’ll choose will have a fair and reasonable wage according to the time and effort you spend.

4. Cut Down on Unnecessary Expenses

If quitting your job is not a feasible option at this point, you can try to cut down some of the subsidiary expenses to balance the outcome with the income. Venus, the planet which rules Taurus, could easily tempt you to spend more money to buy the high quality goods although the moderate ones would still suffice. Don't fall for this trap, Witchlings, because it would be much harder to climb up again due to the nature of the New Moon. The New Moon aspires to lead you to a simpler yet balanced life. Thus, this splurging habit should easily be concluded as one of the few bad habits to be eliminated during this period. You can still reward yourself for your hard work, but only if the goods that you desire is a necessity.

So, now that you know what to do, tell me what's your plan for this month's New Moon! Write me in the comment section and I'll see if I can give you some insights.

As usual, good luck everyone! 🌚

Hello, I'm Canti!

I am a tarot reader and an eclectic witch living in Bali, providing online tarot reading and blessing service for the mindful soul-searchers. Contact me at www.foxglovetarot.com to book a private counseling session with me.

Tonight the moon is finally reaching its full potential in Indonesia area after the recent New Moon / Solar Eclipse earlier this month. Jakartans should be able to spot it at 8.01pm while Balinese can enjoy the view at around 9.01pm. Today’s Lunar Eclipse will last for about 4 hours and will be less noticeable compared to its predecessor due to its type of Penumbral Lunar Eclipse. To everyone expecting the similar significant dark shadow casted by Solar Eclipse, I’m sorry to announce that this Penumbral Lunar Eclipse will be less spectacular as the shadow has a subtler touch. It will be seen as a fainter moon and I guarantee it won’t look as grande on your iPhone camera. However, do not underestimate the positive energy it radiates. Full Moon in all pagan based religions is known to be the best time to make a wish, clearing out space for new items, or just to make an overall positive changes. Use this time to create positive affirmation in your life.

The transit in Libra brings the relationship theme upfront during this period. It radiates positive peaceful energy to overcome your past traumas and relationship failures. It’s the best time to forgive your frienemies and make a new meaning of your relationships. You can also use this time to ask yourself, “What can I do to be a good friend / family members / boyfriend / girlfriend?” or preserve your relationship with your good friends and loved ones by asking them out for dinner and good times. The Moon’s energy will help you strengthen your bond with them in the long run. Not only limited to relationship with friends, tonight’s energy also helps businesses to seal the deal with partners. Sweet talking and corporate gifts will help boost your chances as well, because Libra is ruled by Venus, the goddess of beauty and expensive goods. So go ahead and be social today!

Another aspects that are relatively as important as the Lunar Eclipse today are:

Moon in Libra with Opposite Sun and Mercury in Aries

Opposition is the aspect where two planets are located opposite of each other in an astrology chart. It is when the energy of both contradicting aspects becomes inharmonious to one another. While the Moon is transiting in Libra to kickstart some creative ideas through harmonious partnerships and fair consideration, Mercury and Sun are on the contrary, sitting in Aries — the sign of ‘self’, independency, and leadership. Both are cardinal signs, which creates a strong opposition in decision making especially for self-initiated project or life-changing decision.

Today, see where you stand before making a decision that will affect you and other people. The Mercury in Aries gives you the confidence boost to express yourself while the Sun helps you to ensure your needs met. But sometimes it is best to listen to both sides and think it thoroughly, as any decision you make may affect your relationship or partnership with others.

Moon in Libra with Sextile Mars in Sagittarius

The sextile aspect is a 60∘ angle between two planets indicating a compatible energy between the two elements. It results in a harmonious flow which can be used to realise your goal. Tonight, the creative and aesthetic vibe of Libra combined with the ever-curious wanderlust Sagittarius is pushing us to seek further to quench our thirst for knowledge and travel. It’s a good time to push through new ideas, preferably with the company of others for brainstorming and creative ideation. You can also use this time to book random plane tickets and travel away with your bosoms.

In conclusion, the best way to utilise the Lunar Eclipse / Full Moon energy is by being a great company today by discussing ideas with others and considering their opinion before making any decision for yourself. 😇

Hello, I'm Canti!

I am a tarot reader and an eclectic witch living in Bali, providing online tarot reading and blessing service for the mindful soul-searchers. Contact me at www.foxglovetarot.com to book a private counseling session with me.